Bicycles and motorcycles were originally built with rigid frames; As the horsepower, weight and speed of motorcycles increased, and they began to be used off road, both front and rear wheel suspensions were developed and have now reached a very high degree of sophistication. Today, the best motorcycle suspensions are exotic and highly effective combinations of oil dampers, compressed gas and steel springs, and elastopolymers with individual tuning adjustments for rebound and compression damping to optimize shock absorption for different weight riders and different riding conditions.
Although soft ride bicycle suspensions and components have been around for almost 100 years, mostly in experimental and show bikes, none have been manufactured in any significant quantities. Riders and manufacturers have resisted the added weight, cost, complexity and untraditional appearance of bicycles equipped with shock absorbing suspensions.
Recently, however, with the overwhelming popularity of mountain bikes, and off road riding and racing, the idea of equipping bicycles with soft ride suspensions has aroused wide interest. Riding a fully soft-suspended mountain bike down a rough, rock-strewn trail, or even level riding on city and country roads, demonstrates a new degree of safety and comfort. Downhill riding and racing can be speeded up with increased safety. On ordinary city and country roads, the rider can look forward to more safely view and react to traffic and road conditions ahead without paying disproportionate attention to stones and potholes immediately below. As examples of intense current interest in soft ride suspensions for bicycles, the entire February 1991 issue of Mountain Bike Action has been devoted to shock absorbing bike suspensions. Among other articles, there is a feature article with a complete comparison of what it describes as "The Seven Best New Suspension Bikes" plus many pages of miscellaneous information on soft ride suspensions and advantages thereof. Bicycling for April 1991 pages 84-98 has a feature article on shock absorbing suspensions entitled, "New Bicycle Suspensions".